If left alone, nature will in her own time spread certain species of fish and aquatic life from one lake to the next. Frequently birds will inadvertently carry small fish, fish eggs, or live shellfish between lakes. Strong winds, animals that wander into the water’s edge, and flooding are all other ways cross-contamination between bodies of water can occur.

…But timeshare owners can cause the situation too, according to environmental experts in Minnesota.

Timeshare owners, timeshare renters, vacation home owners, and all the local residents who launch a boat in multiple lakes or rivers without washing it in between outings, contribute to an escalated spread of species in a way that is not always good. Which brings up the matter of zebra mussels.

According to EchoPress, an online publication in Alexandria, Minnesota, zebra mussels were discovered in the Alexandria lakes area this past summer, much to the concern of many locals who fear the mussels will destroy the ecosystems of the lakes.

“Zebra mussels are not the death of a lake,” Doug Jensen, an aquatic species program coordinator with Minnesota Sea Grant stated. “A lake may change drastically, but zebra mussels won’t kill our lakes.”

According to Jensen, there are tens of thousands of species that have migrated to the beautiful lakes of west central Minnesota, including purple loosestrife, spiny and fishhook waterfleas, rusty crayfish, bighead and silver carp, flowering rush, and Eurasian watermilfoil.

But Jensen suggests the solution is as simple as educating the public, “…including businesses, lakeshore homeowners, fishing tournament organizers, resort owners, timeshare holders and state park employees and visitors. If you want to learn more about challenge and its solutions, contact the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Invasive Species Program at 1-888-MINNDNR (6466-367).

And if you want to experience the beautiful lakes and waterways of Minnesota firsthand, follow this link to learn more about opportunities in Minnesota timeshare resales and Minnesota timeshare rentals.

TATOC (The Association for Timeshare Owners Committees) has released more information about its upcoming 2010 annual timeshare conference. This year’s event is scheduled from Friday, March 26 to Sunday, March 28, 2008, and will be hosted at the Nottingham Belfry in Nottingham, England. Note: this is a rescheduled date for the event in order not to conflict with the ARDA 2010 Convention and Expo.

TATOC is one of the European timeshare industry’s oldest and most respected timeshare associations and was established with a mission to, “… safeguard and enhance the timeshare holiday experience for existing and prospective users and to be the voice of owners.” Last year’s TATOC Timeshare Conference, held in Warrington, England, was an outstanding success, a pleasure to attend, and a unifying and uplifting event for timeshare industry participants. Word is, this year’s conference will be even better.

The TATOC Conference is open to attendance by TATOC members and nonmembers, and for sponsorship participation.

For a look back at the 2009 TATOC Conference, click the links below:

• The Message at TATOC for Timeshare Resales
• What I Missed at The Association for Timeshare Owners Committees Conference

Last week, Ireland’s biggest travel agency, Budget Travel, closed its doors, applying to the UK’s High Court to have the company placed into provisional liquidation. With some help from those administering the company’s affairs, all travelers stranded by the action appear to now be headed onward to their destination. A telephone helpline has been established (phone: 01 6613122) to deal with travel problems or anyone in need of a refund for his or her prepaid travel plans made through Budget Travel.

And if it is not unnerving enough to learn that one of the UK’s largest and oldest travel agencies has filed for what in the US, we would call bankruptcy, let’s look at these related warning:

With forewarnings such as these, for travelers to or from the US, booking travel arrangements with UK travel companies may create a level of uncertainty. And while staying in a timeshare resale or timeshare rental doesn’t eliminate the problem of air travel and other transportation booked via a travel agency that might be bankrupt by the time your holiday rolls around, it does solve the problem of whether you will have accommodations when you get there.

Timeshare Resale Solutions for Travelers

When you buy timeshare resales or book a timeshare rental directly from the owner, you are bypassing any middleman or third party who could potentially be out of business before you get ready to travel. Even when your timeshare resale involves the use of a timeshare broker, you have still bought your property directly from the individual who presently owns it, with the timeshare broker involved only to facilitate the timeshare sales transaction.

Schedule a timeshare rental vacation, and you have the same assurances. You may be using a website, such as Sell My Timeshare NOW, or working directly with one of our timeshare rental specialists, but your actual vacation accommodations come from the person who currently owns the timeshare. With either approach, you eliminate the worry that your travel agency will be defunct by the time you need them.

Timeshare resales and timeshare rentals don’t resolve all of a vacationer’s concerns, but if you have never experienced timesharing, you are going to be amazed at how many problems they do remove.

Timeshares mean minimal vacation planning, spacious accommodations, worldwide destinations, and peace of mind assurance that your room or condo will be ready and waiting when you arrive.

With record levels of unemployment, many people are looking for ways to add to their credentials, expand their options, and increase their appeal to prospective employers. Although there have been layoffs and cutbacks in the timeshare industry (primarily linked to the impact of declining credit lines for expansion or consumer financing), there are still new job opportunities in timeshare management, timeshare sales, and timeshare resales, and certainly reason to believe there will be even more timeshare industry opportunities as the economy rebounds.

A College Degree in Timeshares

So are you aware that you can earn a Bachelor of Science degree with a specialization in Vacation Ownership and Timeshare Management? That’s right….not just a college degree in hospitality management, but an actual specialization in timeshare.

One university offering this targeted program is Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. As the university describes its program:

Timeshares and Vacation Ownership are a Changing Industry

At Sell My Timeshare NOW, we have always believed that timeshares and vacation ownership have not begun to reach their true potential. There are millions of timeshare owners who consistently report high levels of satisfaction with the product, but they are not necessarily the ones you hear about in the media.

As I have said before, yes, there are timeshare scams and timeshare fraud. There are, from time to time, individuals who will take your money and offer you nothing but empty promises in return. But unfortunately, there are unethical people and bad apples in every industry. While bad news tends to make headlines, there are millions of happy timeshare owners and timeshare renters vacationing, and enjoying timeshare ownership that will never be headline news.

Don’t be fooled. Timeshares are a strong industry that bring a great deal of satisfaction to many people, and if you are looking for a new career path, they could be an ideal direction for you.